Return to Work & Accommodations Advisor

Job Category

Job Profile

Job Title

Department

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

This is a 12 month leave replacement appointment.

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Workplace Health Services supports UBC's institutional commitment to health and wellbeing by delivering programs and services that promote safe, healthy, and inclusive workplaces. The Stay at Work/Return to Work Program supports both the University and its faculty and staff who are experiencing an injury, illness, or disability. This position joins an interdisciplinary team of professionals responsible for the development, negotiation, implementation, and monitoring of gradual return to work plans, temporary modification of job duties/schedules and workplace accommodations, in collaboration with key stakeholders.

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS
• Reports to the Manager, Return to Work & Accommodations.
• Collaborates with Employee Relations, Faculty Relations, Human Resources Advisors, Administrative Heads of Units, Department Managers, Supervisors, Union and Association representatives, and other members of Workplace Health Services.

WORK PERFORMED
• Provides proactive case management advice for injured, ill, and disabled UBC employees, including intake assessment of occupational and non-occupational cases, in accordance with BC legislation and UBC s procedures and policies.
• Assesses and clarifies medical information and functional status information from physicians and other service providers for return to work purposes, and as part of the employer's duty to inquire. This includes medical and specialist reports, functional capacity evaluations, job site analyses, independent medical examinations, vocational rehabilitation information, ergonomic assessments, and supportive programs, such as substance use disorder monitoring and psychiatric safety planning.
• Designs and plans timely, safe, and sustainable accommodations and customized return to work plans. Anticipates probable medical restrictions/limitations based on the nature of illness/injury in the development of proposed return to work plans for physician/clinician approval, utilizing resources such as disability duration guidelines.
• Provides expert advice and recommendations to University stakeholders, including department heads and Human Resources stakeholders, on medically suitable and case-appropriate return to work plans and accommodations, consistent with disability management best practice.
• Facilitates appropriate information exchange, manages the return to work plan, and leads return to work meetings involving relevant stakeholders (e.g. employees, departments, union/association representatives, human resources, treating practitioners, claims adjudicators, and third party service providers), and negotiates medical accommodations that meet both the disabled employee's medically supported capabilities and the department's operational needs.
• Collaborates with third party service providers, such as WorkSafeBC (WSBC) and the Long-Term Disability (LTD) carrier, and UBC's Human Resources teams in seeking alternate jobs when disabled employees are not able to return to their pre-disability job, with the goal of matching the employee's medical capabilities, education, and skills with potential jobs. Negotiates with insurers (WSBC, LTD, etc.) for sponsorship of gradual return to work plans and vocational rehabilitation programs.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of return to work plans and coordinates medical monitoring when necessary.
• Assesses return to work challenges, such as psychosocial and workplace issues, and determines appropriate options for resolution.
• Seeks advice from appropriate expert consultants on complex medical issues, such as occupational disease exposures, mental illness, and substance use disorders, and integrates this into recommendations for appropriate assessment and treatment programs, and design of relapse prevention and exposure control plans.
• Develops and delivers information, training, and awareness building sessions to University stakeholders, including department managers and unions/association representatives, on disability management best practices and related topics, such as duty to accommodate legislation, accessibility, early intervention, and return to work planning.
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with stakeholders across the University for the purpose of creating an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative work environment that encourages early, safe, and sustainable accommodations.
• Monitors the changing regulatory environment, as well as workplace health trends, emerging thinking, best practices, and benchmarking data in the areas of stay at work/return to work and accommodations. Researches and recommends improvements to University policies and procedures.
• Performs other related duties as required.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Office environment. Frequent visits to client departments within the Vancouver Campus. Required to travel off campus for meetings. Hybrid work program available upon approval by Supervisor.

CONSEQUENCE OF ERROR/JUDGEMENT
This position is responsible for complex disability case management activities for the University. Errors in judgment could result in serious financial, legal, and reputational repercussions. Failure to actively and effectively manage cases could result in increased direct and indirect costs to the University, including the cost of additional staffing, increased time loss from work, and human costs to disabled employees in need of accommodation.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED
This position works under the general direction of the Manager, Return to Work & Accommodations, keeping the Manager informed on program issues, and consulting with on complex case management challenges, conflict situations, and deviations from standard policy and procedures.

SUPERVISION GIVEN
None.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline
• Minimum of five to seven years of related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in proactive disability case management, vocational rehabilitation, and/or complex return to work and accommodation planning.
• A thorough knowledge of Human Resources practices and systems, BC Human Rights Code, long-term disability, return to work, WorkSafeBC regulations, policies, and procedures, and confidentiality with respect to personal and health information.
• Current registration in a regulated profession recognized by the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) or the Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA).
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own.
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrated ability to design safe, effective, and sustainable return to work plans and accommodation agreements in accordance with current disability management best practice and relevant medical and organizational information pertaining to the case.
• Demonstrated ability to think critically and strategically, and from an organizational perspective, to translate into practical, implementable solutions appropriate to the organizational context.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage and resolve conflict.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to deliver professional presentations, relay information clearly in group training sessions, and write clear, informative reports.
• Demonstrated ability to respond effectively to challenging and urgent situations, including the ability to assess client needs, flexibility to adjust to new and unexpected events, and recommend resources appropriate to the situation.
• Knowledge of confidentiality considerations and privacy legislation related to personal health information.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team and with a variety of groups, and individuals (e.g. senior managers, union and employee group representatives, medical professionals).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, internet, and electronic records management systems.